Above: Maestro Earl Lee, photo by Emilio Herce
Author: Oberon
Wednesday May 22nd, 2024 - Celebrating their 30th anniversary this evening at Zankel Hall, Sejong Soloists presented the US premiere of Unsuk Chin's "Puzzles and Games" from Alice in Wonderland, and the world premiere of Texu Kim's With/out book-ending a spectacular performance of Felix Mendelssohn's Octet. It was one of most enjoyable concerts of the season, joining such Springtime delights as violinist Lun Li's Young Concert Artists recital at the Morgan Library, the Orchestra of St. Luke's splendid Brahms REQUIEM at Carnegie Hall, and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's thrilling program, Songs and Snow, on my list of musical events that have kept my spirits up in these chaotic times.
Making her Carnegie debut tonight, soprano Juliana Zara (above, photo by Emilio Herce) was the soloist in the Unsuk Chin work, a daunting 20-minutes of singing which at times carries the singer into the highest range of the soprano voice. Ms. Zara never seemed daunted by the vocal writing: in fact, she seemed to revel in it. Conductor Earl Lee and his musicians gave the singer perfect support, whilst also seeming to savor the composers' quirky and colorful writing for the ensemble.
One by one, oboe, clarinet, flute, and bassoon join in the introductory phrases to Alice - Acrostic before Ms. Zara's clear, lyrical voice is heard. This brief song ends with deep chords. Pizzicati are passed about in the introduction to If I Never Reach the Gardens, with gentle (slightly eerie) passages for the strings (and did I hear a harmonica?) before the music turns woozy; the soprano speaks much of the poem. The third and fourth songs, on the Curiouser and Curiouser theme, seem to run together. The music stays groggy, the words largely spoken, until a crashing chord is struck. Dotty rhythms and semi-singing in Who In The World Am I? are underscored by by insectuous strings and burbling winds before the flute has a final say.
The piano introduces The Tale-Tail of the Mouse, with melodramatic sprechstimme from the soprano. Spaced-out harmonies and scurrying flutes lead to the final words: "Condemned to Death". I thought I detected a musette in the atmospheric lullaby Sleep Tight My Ugly Baby, though my ears may have deceived me. The music is filled with droopy sighs; a sense of quietude settles in, and night chimes are heard. In Cat's Aria, Ms. Zara ventured impressively into the upper extremes of the soprano range, lingering there is a series of amazing (and intentionally annoying) meows-in-alt.
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star has a delightful delicacy about it; then the music turned livelier and a catchy xylophone 'cadenza' established a playful mood. The music fades away at the end. The final song is Speak Roughly To Your Little Boy, introduced by a drum roll. A pulsing beat accompanies this mean mother's lecture, with tambourine and bassoon interjecting. Now the vocal line goes completely bonkers - Ms. Zara didn't simply manage it, she triumphed over it - as cymbal crashes bring this dazzling, quirky piece to a close. The soprano basked in a shouting ovation from the crowd, so truly deserved; she graciously signaled her thanks to the musicians and the Maestro.
Above: Ms. Zara, Maestro Lee, and the ensemble; photo by Emilio Herce
The first time I heard the Mendelssohn Octet played live was at the New York City Ballet, where, in 2004, Peter Martins created a lovely ballet to this score, written by the composer at the ripe young age of 16. It is a veritable treasure chest of melodic and rhythmic felicities, and tonight it elevated my mood - constantly dragged down of late by the darkness that is spreading throughout the world - to one of great joy.
An octet of prestigious string players (above photo by Emilio Herce) was led this evening by the Metropolitan Opera's concertmaster David Chan, and the NY Philharmonic's concertmaster, Frank Huang. From the Sejong Soloists' roster, violinists Daniel Cho and Andrew Wan, violists Brian Chen and Paul Laraia, and cellists Ole Akahoshi and Jesús Castro-Balbi joined to create an ensemble alive with multi-hued timbres which created a very cordial blend.
The Mendelssohn Octet is a four movements, with the opening Allegro moderato con fuoco - in my opinion, one of the greatest movements in all the string quartet repertoire - being the longest by far. It opens with joyous arpeggios and vibrant accompaniments. A more lyrical second theme has an elegant feel. The Andante brings restfulness, but with a rather intense middle section that offers contrast. Mendelssohn is the King of Scherzi, and here we are offered a feast of trills and an ethereal lightness of textures. The concluding Presto is both deliciously agitated and cunningly witty. There were times when the piece seemed almost like a concerto, thanks to David Chan's virtuosity.
Above, taking a bow after the Octet; photo by Emilio Herce
Above, the soloists for the Texu Kim premiere: David Chan, Daniel Cho, Andrew Won, and Franck Huang; photo by Emilio Herce
Violins remained in the spotlight for the world premiere of Texu Kim's With/out, which was positively brilliant. This is a concerto for four violinists, with string orchestra and a single percussionist. Frank Huang now took the lead, with Mssrs. Chan, Cho, and Wen again creating a stellar quartet.
The opening movement, lonesome and fluorescent, starts with a hesitant pulse; the musicians interject melodic fragments and quirky sighs. There are touches of humor, and a fresh bass beat is taken up. A short downward motif is passed among the four soloists (it will recur in the final movement), and the music becomes briefly grand, with repetitive pulsings. Then there's a whirlwind...until a whip cracks, restoring order. A brief da capo leads to an other-worldly conclusion.
The second movement, subdued and imploding, is darker and a bit eerie. The four violins play in unison, and then a shivering misterioso mood sets in. The basses strike up, again the whip cracks, and the beating timpani feels like a slow, swaying dance. The sound-textures are varied, holding our keen interest; each soloist shines in turn. After briefly turning epic, there is a passage of harmonizing for the orchestra's violins. A sustained trill from Frank Huang leads to a sudden stop.
The final movement, festive!!, has an oddly familiar start: an homage to Stravinsky with a brief quote from his Violin Concerto. This gave my companion and I a jolt, as we are both Balanchine fans. The timpani plays a role, setting up a forward impetus. There is an intermezzo, with the descending motif from the first movement popping up again. The music becomes cinematic and, after a lull, rebounds to a finale.
Above: composer Texu Kim joins the musicians for a bow following his with/out, photo by Emilio Herce
The hall erupted in a lively ovation which doubled in intensity when the charming, youthful-looking composer (he's 34) hoisted himself onto the stage as cries of bravo! rang out. A perfect end to a perfect evening.
~ Oberon
Performance photos by Emilio Herce, courtesy of Beverly Greenfield/Kirshbaum Associates